Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society - 2027

The rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy are foundational values of the EU laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. These values provide the Union with principled orientations to meet the inevitable geopolitical economic, social and demographic changes that could not be foreseen at the time the Treaties were drafted. This includes how the digital transformation would affect how the debate and political processes would be shaped.

Democracy is cultural practice as much as it is a political system. It is a key strength of European societies, helping ensure respect for equality, the rule of law, fundamental rights and liberty. Actors with anti-democratic tendencies attack democracies and their institutions because democracy is a safeguard against them[[The 2025 report of the V-Dem Institute (“25 years of Autocratization-Democracy Trumped?”) confirms the appalling signs, indicators and tendencies captured over previous years of measurement: “The trend of the ‘third wave of autocratization’ is deepening and spreading. That includes weakening of democracy in some established liberal democracies, breakdown of democracy in countries that were democratic for most of the 21st century, as well as deepening of autocracy in already autocratic states […] The global democratic decline deepens, regardless of how we slice the data and whichever measure we use” (pp. 9 and 10)]]. Even traditionally well-functioning democracies face many challenges, which means that they also continuously need to adapt as conditions change. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) research plays a crucial role in understanding current challenges and threats and mapping future pathways for innovative solutions. Building on historical, cultural, social, legal and philosophical perspectives, research will foster the further development of democracy with a view to enhancing citizen participation and inclusive policymaking, promoting equality and inclusiveness, addressing the impact of AI and the digital transformation of democracy. It will also reinforce democratic resilience and civic preparedness, and preserve the role of free, independent and plural media as key tenets of democracy, among other objectives.

Expected impact:

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following expected impact of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan:

• Reinvigorating democratic governance by improving the independence, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and trustworthiness of institutions and policies based on rule of law, and through the expansion of active and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement empowered by the safeguarding of fundamental rights.

The aim of the research investment supporting this impact is to develop a robust evidence base that can inform the establishment of effective, relevant and sensible policies, which bolster the resilience of democratic systems and protect them from threats. At the same time, it seeks to foster critical thinking while also reinforcing citizens’ trust in democracy, its institutions, and the sense of political participation in its widest possible sense.

The destination seeks synergies with other relevant EU programmes, in particular for the uptake of research results and innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe. Interaction – among others – with the following programmes is encouraged: Digital Europe (DIGITAL), Technical Support Instrument, CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), Erasmus+, ESF+ and Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument.

Applicants are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by the current and future EU-funded European Research Infrastructures, particularly those in the social sciences and humanities domain^[1]. Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces.

As the destination aims directly at citizen engagement and at producing lasting change, it is of particular importance that the research and innovation actions promote the highest standards of transparency and openness. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this destination is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable). When applicable, it is encouraged to open up the process, criteria, methodologies and data to civil society in the course of the research.

To maximise the impacts of R&I under this Destination in line with EU priorities, international cooperation is encouraged whenever relevant in the proposed topics.

[1] For a full list see https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/ri-portfolio/table. In the social sciences domain, see for example: CESSDA - Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (https://www.cessda.eu/), ESS – European Social Survey (https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/), SHARE - Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (https://www.share-eric.eu/) or the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (https://ehri-project.eu/)

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Political, societal, educational stakeholders, and researchers have an improved understanding of theoretical models and provided pathways for implementing solutions to combat extremism, radicalisation, hate speech and polarisation.
• Public authorities, law enforcement agencies, local authorities, NGOs, and community actors are more engaged in implementing and adapting solutions addressing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation in their respective contexts.
• EU institutions, national policymakers and judicial bodies can draw on an enhanced evidence-base for their decision-making through scientific, political, and legal assessments of research results in real-life contexts, enabling replication of methods, legislative changes, and innovation.
• Improved understanding of the root causes of hate and polarisation, of methodologies to combat online hate ecosystems and of the role of traditional media in shaping public opinion, including the correlation between media consumption and polarisation, to inform strategies for protecting victims and addressing hate crimes and speech.

Scope:

The European Union has been actively working to combat racism, xenophobia, hate speech, hate crimes, and extremism in recent years, developing and implementing various strategies to address these issues^[1]. Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe have also played a crucial role in funding projects that aim to develop research and collect evidence on how to counter and prevent radicalisation, polarisation, hate speech and extremism. These phenomena pose significant risks, as they can undermine trust in democratic institutions, weaken the social contract, and contribute to rising inequalities and instability.

European research (including research by SSH disciplines) should combine a clear understanding of the mechanisms that play a fundamental role in the circulation of online hate speech, radicalisation, extremism, and polarisation with the development of strategies to prevent and counter these phenomena. At the same time, it should promote the Union values enshrined in the Treaty on European Union, such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and the protection of democratic institutions, as a condition for everyone's talents to flourish and for fostering a cohesive society and a culture of tolerance and pluralism. This will contribute to enhance the prevention of violent extremism, hate speech and hate crime and the promotion of a more inclusive and resilient society.

The spread of hate speech and extremist ideologies online has become a major concern, and the need for effective solutions to address these issues is pressing. Hate speech and extremism can be criminal offences, but also more broadly contribute to polarisation and have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, also limiting the engagement of individuals in public life (e.g. elected officials stepping down from elections because of hate attacks). Moreover, the polarisation of society and the erosion of trust in institutions pose a threat to social cohesion and democratic values.

To address these challenges, it is essential also to foster the understanding on the root causes of radicalisation, extremism, hate and polarisation, including as concerns the impact of socio-economic factors. This requires also collaboration with end-users, such as civil society organisations and practitioners^[2], who can provide valuable insights and help develop solutions that are tailored to their specific needs and contexts.

Proposals are encouraged to identify other EU-funded projects related to preventing radicalisation, extremism, hate speech, and polarisation, financed by the Horizon programmes (Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe) and complementary funding schemes (such as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, the Internal Security Fund, or others) and to explore potential opportunities for collaboration with them. Proposals should integrate a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach to illustrate how radicalisation, extremism, hate speech and polarisation disproportionately affect different groups and groups of different ages.

Initiatives of research such as the ones in the EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation^[3] (previously Radicalisation Awareness Network) or the forthcoming online knowledge hub under the Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online should be considered when developing initiatives to upscale and exploit solutions to combat extremism, hate speech and radicalisation. Research activities should meaningfully involve a wide range of stakeholders and societal actors, particularly civil society organisations, including non-academic and non-scientific actors. Projects should link appropriately with the envisaged European Centre for Democratic Resilience and seek to make best use of its stakeholder platform.

[1] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/combating-hate-speech-and-hate-crime_en

[2] See, for example: https://edmo.eu/

[3] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/networks/eu-knowledge-hub-prevention-radicalisation_en